[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[nicko]

nicko what happened to all these polish players we were looking at? Any news?

I was never too sure about those reports. But I think they will watch the Bulgarian Popov in their Cup final...he's a squad man at best.

[stuwilky]

Nobody will pay £15m for Crouch either as he only has 2 year sleft on his contract and could buy it out for much less.

Isnt that only in the last year of the contract?

Can never work out the rules on that!

[nicko]

Presumably thats a top-class midfielder who isn't currently playing in the Premiership, rather than one who is , or indeed two slightly aging ex-teammates who are ?

A couple of good foreigners who are playing abroad would seem to be on the radar.

I won't mention their names until it moves further...or I can dream them up down at the pub.

[ffan]

Euro 2008 might be a haven for Hughes

[Flopsy]

They're not from Valencia are they?

[philipl]

That seems quite sensible to me............... IF we could get Benni performing again.

Agreed.

As rover6 pointed out, Heerenveen are renowned for plying hardball so the E6m (now about GBP5m with the decline in the pound) being quoted is unlikely to drop.

Huddlestone was being priced at an extortionate number by Spuds before his England squad call-up.

Both those players could be turned into something really special but both represent a significant risk.

Going up a level reminds me of the Ferguson purchase. Will be interesting to see who comes into the frame but I am conscious of midfielders like Hargreaves and Carrick going for GBP17m so we are unlikely to be shopping for the absolute best.

Think it is going to be a funny transfer window. A few clubs seem to need to refresh whole squads (Newcastle, Sunderland, Spurs and Fulham), some look to be involuntarily losing the key players from the heart of their teams (Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa, Wigan, Everton, Bolton, Pompey) whilst others are not shopping at all (West Ham) or are severely hampered at the moment by uncertainties "upstairs" (Liverpool, Man City). At this point only Boro, Rovers and Man U seem to be shopping purely to strengthen.

The promoted teams this season don't have the Managers with the sort of big name pulling power I think we all feared/assumed Keane and Bruce would have had last time around- not that it helped them much.

[LeChuck]

Isnt that only in the last year of the contract?

Can never work out the rules on that!

To the best of my knowledge there are three rules regarding players' contracts:

1) Plain old Bosman ruling (being able to move for free at the end of your contract)

2) Players under 28 can buy out the remainder of their contract when they are 3 years in to it

3) Players 28 and over only need to be 2 years in to a contact to do the above

I don't think there is any ruling stating a contract can be bought out with two years to go.

[Sandiway Blue]

That seems quite sensible to me............... IF we could get Benni performing again.

If we can get a top class midfielder,it might get Benni buzzing again and generally give the whole squad a boost (hopefully even convince Bentley to stay?).Going off Benni`s performances this season it would be like signing a new striker.

[Earlydoors]

A couple of good foreigners who are playing abroad would seem to be on the radar.

Ok then, got to be Spanish........Atletico Madrid or Espanyol, off the top of my head. Please god not Diego Forlan or Luis Garcia... Maxi Rodriguez, I think he's alright not sure, good name though. Not the right sort of terrace culture for José Antonio Reyes. Simão Sabrosa.. was he that winger at Barcelona. Ignacio Camacho, hell yeh, he fought with Lee Marvin and Yul Brynner didn't he ?

Or

Iván de la Peña.. he was at Lazio or Barca for a bit, I think. Milan Smiljanić has he been mentioned on here before ..know the name from somewhere. God no idea, can't we just have Stuart Ripley and Super Atko back ?

[BiggusLaddus]

Agreed.

As rover6 pointed out, Heerenveen are renowned for plying hardball so the E6m (now about GBP5m with the decline in the pound) being quoted is unlikely to drop.

Huddlestone was being priced at an extortionate number by Spuds before his England squad call-up.

Both those players could be turned into something really special but both represent a significant risk.

Going up a level reminds me of the Ferguson purchase. Will be interesting to see who comes into the frame but I am conscious of midfielders like Hargreaves and Carrick going for GBP17m so we are unlikely to be shopping for the absolute best.

Think it is going to be a funny transfer window. A few clubs seem to need to refresh whole squads (Newcastle, Sunderland, Spurs and Fulham), some look to be involuntarily losing the key players from the heart of their teams (Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa, Wigan, Everton, Bolton, Pompey) whilst others are not shopping at all (West Ham) or are severely hampered at the moment by uncertainties "upstairs" (Liverpool, Man City). At this point only Boro, Rovers and Man U seem to be shopping purely to strengthen.

The promoted teams this season don't have the Managers with the sort of big name pulling power I think we all feared/assumed Keane and Bruce would have had last time around- not that it helped them much.

You don't count Bentley as a key player for us then?

[BiggusLaddus]

Ok then, got to be Spanish........Atletico Madrid or Espanyol, off the top of my head. Please god not Diego Forlan or Luis Garcia... Maxi Rodriguez, I think he's alright not sure, good name though. Not the right sort of terrace culture for José Antonio Reyes. Simão Sabrosa.. was he that winger at Barcelona. Ignacio Camacho, hell yeh, he fought with Lee Marvin and Yul Brynner didn't he ?

Or

Iván de la Peña.. he was at Lazio or Barca for a bit, I think. Milan Smiljanić has he been mentioned on here before ..know the name from somewhere. God no idea, can't we just have Stuart Ripley and Super Atko back ?

De La Pena must be nearly as old as Atko now.

How about a cheeky double bid for Giovanni Dos Santos and Bojan at Barca.......?

Whats the kid from Rosenborg called - Sapara?

[Lurid Coat]

Ok then, got to be Spanish........Atletico Madrid or Espanyol, off the top of my head. Please god not Diego Forlan or Luis Garcia... Maxi Rodriguez, I think he's alright not sure, good name though. Not the right sort of terrace culture for José Antonio Reyes. Simão Sabrosa.. was he that winger at Barcelona. Ignacio Camacho, hell yeh, he fought with Lee Marvin and Yul Brynner didn't he ?

Simao used to play for Benfica, but he had a short spell at Barcelona around 2000. Excellent player who has only spent one season at Atletico, and he would never come to Rovers, nor would Maxi Rodriguez - he's world class in my book.

As for Sapara - I think he's overrated, and hasn't exactly been setting the world alight in the pretty mediocre Norwegian Premier Division this season. We can do better! The only player currently based in Norway that I'd like us to sign is Tarik Elyounoussi, a player we've been linked with before. I believe he's got a great future ahead of him.

[T4E]

Please god not Diego Forlan or Luis Garcia...

I'm intrigued - why neither of these?

[Hughesy]

How about GATTUSO - he wants to come to the prem. If only!!

[BiggusLaddus]

Simao used to play for Benfica, but he had a short spell at Barcelona around 2000. Excellent player who has only spent one season at Atletico, and he would never come to Rovers, nor would Maxi Rodriguez - he's world class in my book.

As for Sapara - I think he's overrated, and hasn't exactly been setting the world alight in the pretty mediocre Norwegian Premier Division this season. We can do better! The only player currently based in Norway that I'd like us to sign is Tarik Elyounoussi, a player we've been linked with before. I believe he's got a great future ahead of him.

Bow to your judgment on Sapara. Only seen fleeting glimpses on tv and not for a while.

How good is the other guy? How old is he, does he play ctr mid, and world the world and his dog also be trying to sign him?

[ihateburnley]

What I wouldn't like to see is Bentley replaced by 2-3 others who are only slightly better than we've got now but would appear to improve the 'squad'.

Bentley is the only midfielder we have with really good technical ability. He's the only one who can retain possession without panicking and rolling it backwards for a defender to put his boot through it.

If he goes, then he needs to be replaced by players who are equally comfortable with the ball. There would be no point selling Bentley and then spending £10m on 3 slightly better versions of Reid.

Yeah but hold on, like I said, let's think back to the loan signing of David Bentley.

When we got him I wouldn't have even thought of him as 'slightly better than Reid'. I thought he was going to be a backup player and even if he did establish himself in the first team - a mediocre player at best. Turns out a lot of people got proven wrong and he has successfully made a name for himself.

Now my point is that you don't always have to buy the big-name, proven quality, proven Premiership players that often get suggested on here. That's not the market we operate in anymore and I'm pretty sure we're either going to look abroad and lower leagues for cheaper options, or older players that have been pushed out by hyped-up youngsters at other clubs. Buying a player like Jermaine Pennant for example would suit us down to the ground imo and I would be in favour of a Pennant + cash deal for Bentley. The lad has pace, and despite what people have said on here he is actually a very good crosser of the ball (maybe not quite as good as Bentley in this department), and most of all would probably consider a move to us knowing that we can offer a regular first-team place.

[Lurid Coat]

How good is the other guy? How old is he, does he play ctr mid, and world the world and his dog also be trying to sign him?

He's very good, possibly the best player in the Norwegian Prem at the moment. He's both an attacking midfielder and forward; his club Fredrikstad has used him as a striker with great success. There are a number of other clubs currently interested him, most notably Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham, Schalke 04, Wigan and Heerenveen. I think Fredrikstad has more or less resigned to losing him this summer. Even though there are a number of other big clubs who are keen on signing him, I actually think we're in with a fair chance. Blackburn has a pretty good reputation in Norway, due to the Norwegian connection of old (Berg, Bjørnebye, Østenstad, etc) and the Norwegian media loving to write about "Blackburn's superstar" Gamst Pedersen.

[Roversider]

There may be a slight change of direction about the summer signings...

I am hearing from a couple of decent sources that the kitty may be kept for a top-class midfielder - perhaps £7 to £8 million - rather than a cheaper midfielder and a striker.

There have been a couple of names mentioned that would be more expensive than the Bradleys and Huddlestones.

It could be that the plan now is to blow the dough on a top-class midfielder and stick with the strikers they have - which would also explain why Benni was given a new deal.

I would also stress that this is regardless of Bentley staying/going/signing a deal or not.

No names to publish yet, but it seems to be a strategy.

Now that is a very sensible choice, when you look at the team that is where we are weakest.

[tony gale's mic]

Hmmm I'm not so sure...if this signing flops or even gets injured for an extended period then we will have blown our biggest kitty for a few summers on nothing. Hughes was doing fine with small signings before so even a couple of medium sized ones could add more to our team than one big money one. Who knows though, if he buys real quality then it'll be a good move, but how many players of real proven quality would want to come to Rovers?

[Lathund]

A good attacking midfielder might be what we need to make Benni "click" again. I mean there's no doubt he has the skill, so he may well get back to his old form; or something close to it.

Now one thing I'm curious about is whether Sparky views Emerton as a central midfielder long-term? I mean it does make sense, at least as one of the 2 in the 4-2-3-1. He's also in some ways similar to Savage. I.e a defensive midfielder, but not the holding kind of DM. Got the engine, is decent enough on the ball, and can get forward when needed. Poor finisher though. Btw not in any way suggesting we shouldn't sign one, but instead of signing two (One big name and one to replace Tugay/Moko) that second one could be Emerton. Which would mean we'd look at a right back (or two) instead.

[EwoodGlory]

Out of interest, any idea how much Arshavin would cost? sorry if it has been mentioned before.

Unlikely but you never know

I wonder if Sparky was watching Luis Garcia for Espanyol the other night, he would be around that price tag.

[Hasta]

bs. Buying a player like Jermaine Pennant for example would suit us down to the ground imo and I would be in favour of a Pennant + cash deal for Bentley. The lad has pace, and despite what people have said on here he is actually a very good crosser of the ball (maybe not quite as good as Bentley in this department), and most of all would probably consider a move to us knowing that we can offer a regular first-team place.

No he's not. See what Liverpool fans think. They common theme on all their sites is he's a decent squad play but that he can't put a decent cross in with pace, he just lobs them up in the air.

606 discussion

Some abstract CL final review

Don't get me wrong I'd have him if we got him for 'normal' money. Its just that if he could cross he'd be top drawer.

[John]

Football 365 on Nicko's story: There's a very strange tale about David Bentley in The People.

If we are now looking to sell Bentley, it would appear to go against Hughes comments recently in his press conferences. Not so long ago, Hughes actually said he had not spoken to Benley about his contract situation. Also, he has stressed countless times, how difficult it is to replace your better players.

Easily, Cruz and Bentley have been out best players this season. If you want to move forward as a football club, you do all you can to keep your best players. I know the contract has been on the table for a while, but you would think we are just not going to give up on Bents and just flog him off, just yet anyway...

[ihateburnley]

No he's not. See what Liverpool fans think. They common theme on all their sites is he's a decent squad play but that he can't put a decent cross in with pace, he just lobs them up in the air.

606 discussion

Some abstract CL final review

Don't get me wrong I'd have him if we got him for 'normal' money. Its just that if he could cross he'd be top drawer.

Thanks for that. I normally judge players on the occasions that I've seen them play though.

[EwoodGlory]

Another Nicko scoop?

Someone on another forum I visit, who is based in France says the radio over there is reporting Newcastle have agreed a deal for Gomis.